Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-07-29
THE DRiLL OF THE GHOSTS.
An Old Sergeant on the PIafnn r lis a
Strange story Ga Governors Island

old Fort William. on GoS.eoass. Isl
and, in New York harbor, !qyey t,s4,lit..
years ago.
Il was q sergeant at tho ti1la. Jaar
ricd. and, with my young wife Ia.
been living in n small house on u,
lower end OF the island. but she CON
handing officer concluded to tcal
down. and ] was told to select lhc
best rooms OF the non-comms-o
officers quarters in the then upoccu-
pied fort.
What with my usual military ditce
and the fatigue Of moving and placing
things to rights. ] was pretty woti tires
out when night came. and slcp; like
log.
NV vito was worn ont. 400. bu
did not sleep SO sound as not to H.
disturbed every night by what Sill
called the funniest noises that sound
Ell just like thunder but | paid In
: little attention to her thinking it wa
only tho noise OF passing steamboa!
or tho wash OF the water, Oh lii
shore.
1t might have been two weeks n
ter l had settled down that one ilfgl
I awake suddenly from q sound slice
with that peculiar feeling of dread &
uneasiilr-s upon me which arise, frol
all unknown ctluSc ana ms .h.tn c..
periencel by nearly all of IL.
"'John. do you hear it now aS';c ,
my wife when she discovered | wa,
awake. it sounds like some pcrs N 3,
at wo:,; below.
= Listening for n short time, I rec
ognizcl familiar sounds, aud hal moi
been positive that the doors were
locked with the keys hanging on n
nail in MY room, l would have sworn
that the batteries were manned by eX-
pcricncel gunners.
The quick tread Of the mon rs
they dragged the guns in, the ring of
the rammer. the handling of the shot
that lay piled in readiness for use.
the return of the iron wheels over the
rails as it was run out of the port.
were perfect in every detail, only lack
ing the words of command and the
report OF tho piece to complete the
Illusion.
As l listened the uproar Increased
in volume until it was impossible for
rs to hear each others voices without
raising them to a high pitch
the guns were served with what
seemed incredible rapidity, and the
very walls, massive as they were.
trcmblcl under the heavy artillery in
continual motion while the balls were
rolling from one end Of the easements
to the other, striking the sides with
h ,avy thud5.
Unable to stand this state OF af-
fairs any longer | arose, and, lighting
my lantern. took tho keys along with
loldcl revolver, and. descending the
stair, Is lightly as possible, reached
tho loor. The noise at this point was.
Ii anything. more deafcning than when
[ lett nv room,
" Cautiously inserting the key into
tho lock, | cooked my six-shooter. ard
throwing the donr open suddenly, with
rIi-cl lantern AMI weapon presented,
Gntcrc the nearest easement to find
It unoccupicl save by the grim old
gun AMI tho shot stacked in their
usual places.
- 1t was the same in every battery
I cnteral Not footprint disturbed
tho thick dust upon the floor, nor was
there finger mark upon cithor tho
,'n or the shot. The tompions were
ldarr, and no carriage hal Travelled
JN"r tbs, rI~ty rails.
=" COMO itt.ct even still moro than I
was bn:or.'. | returned to nv room.
.Ad WAS disturbed no more that night
Tn" rickct. however, was commenced
aSaiu the following night, and was
kept up, With slight interlission, for a
mnnth.
:" Nv account of this singular dis
furhaEc" waS met with jasts and laugh
rt from my fellow soldiers, which
hey mortified, it is true, whcn l cor
-pbor,tcd 1t by my wife, but then only
80 iar rs to declare thrt II was
scheme on our part to get removed
rom uncomfortable quarters to one
II the new quarters then aoout cod
.lletc l.
Ncttlr at their taunts, l vowed
hat II ever the noises commence
gam l would have other witne SOS.
them, aud l did not have loag 20
"i.t. Tor about one month after | w..3
AVA .iela! by the phantom gunncr,.
Tli@ time l passc,, out over tho
.rawir.lge, and, going to tho mons
quarters, awakened Il sergeant by the
came OF Saith, and much against his
VII mado him accompany me to the
,cene
Aftor standing listening to the
r1c'i"t until Smiths face was as whit,
- II sheet and he was trembling from
!el | to foot, | throw opea the door.
Saith always declared that for n
moment he saw tho ghostly crew a.
Esir places. but couli detect nothil5
nor coall | ever discover nay caIs-
Ter the distur pancc, although | OTIS
was aWadnnei by the nightly dr.il Z
my ilyi,. be artilleyvmen.
= Some months after leaving the Isl.
and / learhnl thai durin; til4 Ain<..t
war an artillery company drilled ~
these E,ll5 some time before tho l,i;
for " 'xico. and that the; were ne "a
all klllei i'll battle. l suppose it lau,
hayc 'ceh freak of Their, TO has.
iheir rouA,ons in these easements an
practice with Their old fric.las, t..
guns. -. Minneapolis Tribuuo.